Rise above politics, Modi says as Cong skips all-party meet
With some Opposition parties, including the Congress, skipping an all-party meeting on the Covid-19 management, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday called for the Centre and States to work together as a team and rise above politics to combat the pandemic.
Speaking at the meeting called by the Central Government, Modi said India was in a better position than many other countries in terms of the ratio of the population hit by the disease but underlined the need to remain vigilant as he cited the resurgence of the infection in some countries like the UK. He said vaccines from more companies are likely to be available in some time and spoke about the push being given by the Government to the vaccination drive.
The PM said that the pandemic should not be a matter of politics and is a matter of concern for entire humanity. He added that mankind hasn’t seen such a pandemic in the last 100 years. He also spoke about the efforts being made to ensure one oxygen plant in every district across the country.
Modi informed leaders about the rising speed of India’s vaccination programme and how the first 10 crore doses took around 85 days while the last 10 crore doses have taken just 24 days to be administered. He also informed the leaders that the daily closing stocks show an average of more than 1.5 crore doses at the end of the day throughout the country.
Modi stressed the need to properly plan the vaccination drives at the district-level based on the advance availability indicated by the Central Government to ensure no inconvenience to the people.
The PM said that it is a matter of concern that a significant number of healthcare workers and frontline workers are yet to get the vaccine even after six months of the commencement of the inoculation drive and added that States need to be more proactive towards this. He also spoke about the need to stay vigilant looking at the situation in various countries. Modi added that mutations make this virus very unpredictable, and hence “we all need to stay together and fight this disease.”
Earlier, as the Congress disrupted the Parliament proceedings for the second-day and took potshots at the Government’s Covid-19 management , Modi accused the Opposition party of “spreading lies” and “politicising” the Covid-19 pandemic and asked the party MPs to counter it.
"They are not able to digest the fact that we have reached this far and that there is no shortage of vaccines. Even in Delhi, 20 per cent of the frontline workers have not been vaccinated", said Modi, while attacking the Congress in the BJP Parliamentary Party meeting.
In the all-party meeting, which lasted for nearly three hours, Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan made a presentation on Covid-19 management. It was followed by queries and suggestions from leaders of various parties. Shiv Sena and TMC demanded more vaccines for Maharashtra and West Bengal, respectively. BJD, TMC and few others also demanded the Government should expedite the process for getting international recognition for the indigenous vaccine, Covaxin.
TRS leader Nama Nageswara Rao urged the Government to boost the vaccination drive and noted with concern that the second wave had affected the rural population as well.
A number of Opposition parties, including the Trinamool Congress, NCP and Samajwadi Party, attended the all-party meeting, while the Congress skipped it.
Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh were among those present in the meet for the floor leaders of all parties. Other Union Ministers, included Piyush Goyal and Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi.
